Meam Quae Perierat Thesaurum
by R.K. Messilson
Summary: Hermione Granger dies in the Second Wizarding War leaving her fiance, Draco Malfoy, devastated. Five years later, Draco is assigned a task by Harry to find one of the unaccounted Death Eaters in Italy. He finds the Death Eather. But with a victim. Hermione?
1. Chapter 1

**Hi, lovers of fanfiction! This is my first fan fiction I have written. Well me and my co-writer and I have written. We would like to tell you that we hope you like our story and hopefully, we will have a chapter up about every month because we have a _very_ busy schedule. *wink, wink* Enough of the blabbering from us. Read to your hearts content. Or until the chapter is over...**

Hermione ran past the streaking lights, watching the war unfold around her_. I have to find him._ She thought to herself. _I need to make sure he's ok._ Suddenly she saw a flash of white-blond hair coming towards her.

"Draco!" she screamed. He ran up to her grabbing her arms tightly. There was a frantic look in his eyes.

"What the hell are you thinking Hermione!" he admonished. "I don't know what I would do if I lost you and the little one." he sighed, gesturing at Hermione's barely showing baby bump. Hermione shot an annoyed look at him.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy, quit the excessive worrying. I am perfectly fine." she glared. "Besides the fact, I will not be hiding in some corner while my friends are out there fighting Voldemort." Draco flinched slightly at the name and looked down. "I will be fine Draco, no worries there." she gently, took his chin in her calloused hand and raised his face to hers. "Look me in the eye Draco." He lifted his head to catch the soft look in her eyes. "I will never leave you. I promise." Draco nodded. Hermione then pulled him in for a searing kiss before turning and running away. Draco spun around and ran to the closest Death Eater and began firing some nasty hexes at him.

Hermione raced down the corridor to Harry and Ron. She was totally exhausted; she didn't think she could take another breath but she did. Her heart felt as if it would burst from within her chest with every beat. The pain was excruciatingly sharp and it came with every new breath; over and over again…She had to continue on, she had to push her body, her ability and her mind. _No weaknesses,_ she had thought to herself earlier in the day as dawn broke, _I must be numb_. She would not allow herself to feel anything whether it be pain or emotion; today she was unfeeling, void of every imaginable mercy.

Darting into the brush for a brief moment, she allowed herself to gauge her wounds and to catch her rapid breath. She had a gash across her right cheek from Alecto Carrow; that was his first and last victory of his life. Her left wrist suffered first degree burns; she had to use a temporary numbing spell to ease the pain. A curse had been shot at her and cut her stomach, she didn't know who had cast it but it would heal easily though it hurt now. She growled softly to herself, irritated; she wasn't numb like she intended, she felt pain.

The battle continued to rage behind her, screams of pain, shouts of directions and threats flooded the tense air. Hermione looked back to see Dolohov striding towards her spot of brush, smiling, his wand raised shoulder height towards her. Taking a deep breath, she thought of the outcome she so desperately wished for from this battle but knew wouldn't happen; Voldemort and his followers dead, Harry, Ron, the order and the rest of the people fighting the Dark Lord to survive. _No weakness,_ she thought to herself_. I have to make it back to Draco. I promised._ Hermione then leaped out at the approaching Death Eater.

"Stupefy!" she yelled, wand raised just under shoulder height, but steady.

"Crucio!" screamed Dolohov, in a high pitched voice.

The spells met in the air causing sparks to hurl about the air, striking anything in their paths. Dolohov's Cruciatus curse was stronger however and beat Hermione's paralyzing spell into submission and shot towards her.

Blown backwards by the tremendous impact, Hermione screamed as a terrible pain shot through her body relentlessly. Falling to the ground, she writhed about; her assailant approached her with an evil smile. Suddenly the pain stopped and Hermione lay panting on the ground, gasping for breath_. The baby!_ She thought to herself in horror. Another voice approached, it was icy and utterly familiar: Lucius Malfoy.

"Finish with her and meet the Dark Lord at the front line, his orders." spoke Lucius to Dolohov who nodded in answer and began smiling once more as the messenger turned and swiftly strode away. Walking slowly towards Hermione, he began to giggle madly and then broke into a laugh as he stopped two feet away from her head.

Although her body hurt excruciatingly, Hermione struck out and knocked his feet out from under him. As he hit the ground with an audible thud, she whipped her wand around and touched it to his throat.

"And the tables turn…" she spoke coldly, above his face looking into his eyes. "Crucio," she muttered, gathering all of her hate she held and manipulating it to her favor. He screamed and writhed about the ground like a dying snake in its final moments. "Avada Kedavra" she said calmly, almost frostily and Dolohov had met his end.

As she rose, Hermione looked back up towards the castle. The screams and cries were still audible and the lights from spells still lit the sky. Jogging towards the battlefield, the castle grounds, a branch caught her cheek and cut it deeply. It would heal, she continued without stopping. Her muscles ached from the torment that they were subjected to and her mind longed to sleep, she couldn't though, she couldn't stop.

She was almost to the battle when in mid-stride her foot caught on a tree root and she tumbled to the ground. Shrugging it off and getting up quickly she started to step away again when something grabbed her ankle. Startled, she spun around, wand pointed at the blond, bloody figure on the ground that was moaning softly now. Some of the blond hair seemed like a shade of pink from the blood pooling in it and around the boy's head. The slash on the boy's head oozed, staining all around it red.

"Draco!" she screamed, running over and cradling his head in her hands.

"Hermione, watch out." he rasped out. Hermione turned to see Lucius moving towards them.

As Lucius raised his wand towards Draco, Hermione dashed to place herself between father and son. Lucius smirked at Hermione and laughed shortly, her actions seemed to amuse him. "If you'd rather be first **mudblood** be my guest; my son can wait his turn." He emphasized the offensive word. It didn't seem to bother Hermione much anymore; the Slytherins had made her use to it already after years of torment at Hogwarts. But, behind her, Draco flinched slightly remembering the years he had called her **that word**.

As he smirked again, Hermione glanced back to Draco once again. Turning back to Lucius, the moonlight shining down on him giving him a paler complexion, she realized how much alike they looked. _They might look alike but there is no doubt…_ thought Hermione.

She held her ground, her brown eyes focused on the cruel blond man in front of her, now approaching her. "Cruci-," he began, his long hair blown back by the wind.

"Protego!" she yelled, concentrating all of her strength into the duel. She could win; she had to, for both Draco and her, for their life together with their baby.

The red curse that shot towards her deflected into a firework display all around her, a blast of light blinded everyone in its magnificence. Recovering quickly, Hermione dodged right, "Expelliarmus!"

She was too quick for the Death Eater who was still blinded by the light. His wand shot out of his hand and landed twenty yards away in the knot of a tree. Both duelists sprinted towards the tree; Hermione didn't think to use the 'Accio' charm. Someone stood by the tree wielding the wand, someone had beaten Hermione and Lucius to the wand; he was panting heavily and bleeding profusely from his blond hair: Draco.

He looked at Hermione for a very minuscule moment, his eyes showed the pain he was in and the exhaustion he felt but they also held something different; the normally cold gray eyes held warmth. She returned his gaze, nodding slightly. He nodded in return and then turned to his father, the frost previously in his eyes returning as he raised his father own wand against its owner. "Never again Lucius. You killed my mother, you will slay no one else," he spoke softly, dangerously, using the same tone that he had been forced to use with Hermione for the past years.

Hermione's breath caught in her throat, she had heard a rumor that Narcissa Malfoy had disappeared about two weeks ago. She didn't believe it though and thought nothing of it. Hermione lowered her wand slightly, watching father and son have a battle of wills.

"Come now Draco, your mother was a traitor to the Dark Lord, you know that. Traitors don't sur-"

"You killed her!" screamed Draco, tears now forming in his eyes. "You chained her to the dungeon wall and tortured her! You made me watch!" he shook his head, the tears flowing freely now. "You beat me throughout my childhood and threatened that if I didn't meet your expectations or do exactly as you deemed that you would kill her!"

Lucius spat upon the ground before speaking again. "You know what happens to traitors Draco-"

"No!" hissed Draco vehemently now, "She wasn't a traitor, she was trying to escape. She was trying to escape with me! She was trying to offer me a life that she had had no opportunity at! She wasn't a traitor; she was trying to be a mother! Someone who cares about their child, someone who doesn't want their child to be like their father!"

Draco lunged forward, throwing the wand away in blind anger. Hermione caught the wand and stood, wide eyed, watching the former Slytherin prince forget his magic. She held the unfamiliar wand in her left hand, her own in her right. Draco seemed to forget his physical pain completely and attacked Lucius, his father, with everything he had left in him. Swinging at the man before him, Draco punched the older man hard in the eye, swinging again, he hit his mouth. Through the blood, Lucius caught Draco's arm and twisted it behind him causing an audible 'snap' and the young man to scream and fall to the ground.

Hermione sprung off the ground, she put the spare wand in her back pocket and raised her own wand to Lucius. "Expelliarmus!" she cried, remembering the effect that this spell once had in a duel for Harry. The result was perfect; Lucius was blown backwards away from Draco and she was able to come between them once more. "Stupefy!" she followed frostily, wand still pointed at the Death Eater before her; he froze in the position that he landed in.

Turning back to Draco, she strode over to him, her feet dragging from exhaustion. Laying her wand on the ground next to him, she gripped his good arm as he groaned and tried to get up off the blood-soaked ground. Suddenly Draco snapped downwards, snatching up Hermione's wand and spinning towards his father. "Draco, no!" cried Hermione, clutching at the hand which held the wand. "He can go to Azkaban! Let's take him up to the school, please!" He shook his head no.

"Renervate," he muttered softly, mobilizing his father for the last time. Father and son looked upon each other fiercely, each knowing what would happen. "Avada Kedavra," spoke Draco, a flash of green light ended his father's life quickly and silently.

He stood that way, wand pointed at his dead father's body, for a long time. Hermione stood beside him; hand on his arm, eyes resting on the ground. Draco turned to Hermione, his eyes downcast and bloodshot.

"Draco-" she began

"No, shh," he interrupted, putting her wand back in her hand and then drawing him to her with his good arm. His head hurt incredibly; almost like someone was continually pounding on it with a hammer. "I'm sorry Hermione. If I hadn't done that, he was going to kill my mother and then me!" pausing for a moment, Draco rested his chin on the top of her head. "I had to put on an act Hermione; I never truly felt like that."

"He killed my mother when she tried to escape with me two weeks ago to the order. She wasn't truly on the Dar…Voldemort's side and neither am I. He killed her and beat me, chained me to the dungeon wall, used the Cruciatus Curse on me," his voice began to break, tears began to fall.

Hermione looked up to see his face soaked with blood and tears creating small rivers through the red. She nodded, reaching down; she grasped his hand and laid her forehead on his good shoulder. They stood that way for what seemed like forever before they broke apart. When they stepped back, the lights and screams had stopped near the school. "It looks like it's over," she remarked, shaking still. She gave him back his father's wand which he took reluctantly, nodding to her words.

She turned to Lucius' corpse once more. "Wingardium Leviosa," she cast, the body raised off the ground. Grasping his hand once more, they walked to the school hand in hand, a body behind them. As they reached Hagrid's Hut, Hermione heard a shout and turned to see Ron and Harry coming towards them.

"Oi! Malfoy let go of her." Ron yelled, brandishing his wand in front of him. "Hermione come on. Stupefy this Death Eater!" Hermione looked at him pointedly.

"Ronald, don't jump to conclusions. Draco's not a Death Eater." Hermione chastised, calmly. Ron looked absolutely horrified.

"What has he done to you Hermione? Are you under the Imperious Curse?" Ron rambled, angrily. "Don't worry; we'll kill him to save you. Come on, Harry!" Harry stood there, shock grazing his features.

"You guys never told him, did you?" he questioned awestruck. Hermione and Draco shook their heads no.

"Didn't tell me what?" Ron questioned. "Has he gotten you too Harry?" Harry shook his head.

"Ron-," Hermione began softly. Ron looked at Hermione then Harry then back again.

"What the bloody hell is going on!" he bellowed. Hermione stepped forward hesitantly.

"Ron, Draco's my** fiancé** and the father of my baby." Hermione said, emphasizing the word fiancé.

"You have to be kidding me!" Ron whispered. "After you kissed me in the hallway! I'm going to bloody kill you Malfoy!" Ron pulled out his wand extraordinarily fast and pointed it at the blond haired man before him.

"Ronald Weasley, put that wand down right now! I admit I shouldn't have kissed you in the hallway, but that does not give you the right to blast my fiancé to pieces!" Hermione shrieked.

"Hermione he's got you under a spell. Come over here and we will take you to Madame Pomfrey." Ron said calmly, lowering his wand slightly. He was terrified of the angry witch before him.

"Ron, I'm not under any spell." Hermione stated, calming down slightly. "Lay down the wand and we can speak like the rational adults we are."

"Mione' I love you, please don't leave me for this git." Ron begged.

"Ronald, I love you too, but only as a brother." Hermione said. "I'm marrying Draco whether you like it or not. So can you just forget about me."

"Like hell I can Mione'! I love you and the stupid ferret has you under a curse. I tried to break you from it without hurting anyone but that simply cannot be done. So to save the ferret has to be out of the picture." Ron shouted, redrawing his wand and pointing it at Draco.

"Ron don't you think you're being a bit irration-" Hermione stopped suddenly realizing what Ron was about to do.

"Sectumsempra, Avada Kedavra!" Ron shrieked. Hermione dove in front of the jets of red and green light right before they hit her beloved.

"No! Hermione!" Both Harry and Draco screamed. Hermione felt a brief slash of pain then everything went spiraling into darkness.

**And Miss Granger falls dead.**

**The people scream and shout**

**Their Gryffindor princess gone**

**and now I must ask**

**How old do you think ****us two are.**

**I know that was a horrible poem. I was never good at poetry. But don't leave us review-less because of my inablity to write poetry. Hey that rhymed! **


	2. Chapter 2

**Ok! So here is the second chapter. We'll give you two more chapters to guess our age. Then we'll announce it on the fifth chapter. Just so you know this chapter is 5 years after the other one so don't get confused. So here is the chapter.**

  
**D.P.O.V.**

Draco woke with a start. Sweat was dripping down his back and his hands were shaking like mad. It was the usual nightmare. In his head he could still hear Hermione's scream and he could feel her icy, lifeless skin as he touched her face. _Stop it Draco! She's dead...dead and gone. Hermione is never...coming...back. _

Shaking his head out of his sorrow, Draco stood up and pulled on his usual robes. They were black and were expensive as with everything he owned. He would never stop mourning the one he loved. As he turned around to grab his comb, something caught his eye.

A great grey owl, imposing and haughty, stood on his window sill. Draco and the bird stared at each other for a moment before the owl stuck out his leg and shook it impatiently.

"Yes Benito, what is it now?" Draco asked it bitterly, snatching the letter. He tore the seal and read quickly over the messy script. Like always, Potter's note was short and secretive.

Draco:

Come by my office at noon. Level 2, third door on your left. I have a task for you. Don't be late.

H. Potter

_What could he want?_ Draco wondered. He swiftly walked downstairs listening as his footsteps echoed eerily in the empty Malfoy Manor. He turned his head to the right to glance at the old grandfather clock. It read 11:30. _Of course I overslept_. There hadn't gone a day since Hermione's death where he had woke up early after a nightmare-free night.

Pulling out his wand, he apparated and moments later he was striding down the streets of London towards the Ministry of Magic. He stepped carefully into the old, visitor's telephone booth. "I can't believe they still use this" He muttered irritably as he dialed the numbers into the phone. Six...two...four...four...two.

A cool, almost unreal female voice answered immediately. "Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business."

Draco cleared his throat. "Draco Malfoy here to visit Harry Potter, Auror in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."

Draco waited impatiently as the woman's voice answered "Thank you. Please take the badge and attach it to the front of your robes." Draco reached for the silver badge and quickly glanced over the words. Draco Malfoy, Appointment with Head Auror.

"Visitor of the Ministry," Continued the voice, "you are required to submit to a search and present your wand for registration at the security desk, which is located at the far side of the Atrium." The floor began to slowly descend and the streets of London disappeared, opening up to a long majestic hall.

"The Ministry of Magic wishes you a pleasant day."

Attaching his badge, Draco walked swiftly over to security. This was his most dreaded part of visiting the Ministry. Even though it's been three years since the war, Draco's name and face was still associated with distrust. In fact, it wouldn't really surprise him if he was thrown in Azkaban at any given moment. Hesitantly, he took out his wand and handed it to the man at the desk.

The man took it, dropped it on a set of golden scales and waited as a strip of parchment slid out of the scale's base. In a low, bored voice the man rattled off the wand's specifics. Draco confirmed and the man handed the wand back. _Potter must have tipped him off that I was coming._ Draco decided.

In a few moments, Draco was standing in front of the office on the second floor with the name 'Harry Potter' listed on it. Draco instinctively reached for the handle, hesitated, and instead knocked.

"Come in." Potter's voice answered.

Draco opened the door and walked inside. Potter's office was square and small. Every inch of the walls were covered with pictures, most of which wanted posters of Death Eaters. A shiver ran down his spine as his eyes fell on faces he had hoped never to see again, including his father. There were also pictures of the people Potter loved like the Weasley family and members of the Order of the Phoenix (both dead and alive). In large frames behind his desk hung two large portraits. One was of his fiancé the Weasley girl and the other was of Hermione. His heart ached as he looked into the brown eyes once more. Draco wanted her back so much, he wanted to kiss her and to talk to her and to hold her warm hands in his. But that was never going to happen.

Draco pulled his eyes away from the photo and focused on the reason he came. Harry Potter was attempting to fix a sneakoscope.

"Um, may I ask what you're doing, Potter?" asked Draco, shaking his head.

"This sneakoscope has become extremely sensitive and I'm trying to fix it. It even goes off every time someone enters without knocking, including myself!" Harry responded without looking up.

"I didn't think an auror would need a sneakoscope." Draco sneered.

"They're actually quite reliable." He said, between muttered spells.

"Then why exactly are you wasting your time fixing it? Why don't you just get a new one?"

Harry waited a long time before answering. "Hermione gave it to me." He said quietly. "That's why."

Harry set down the sneakoscope and looked at Draco with his green eyes for the first time. "I have a task for you if you are interested. It will gain the trust of the other aurors if you still want to become one."

"I do have a job you know." Draco snapped. He had inherited his short temper from his father and hated it, but there was no fixing it now. "You can't just send me off on some journey without my consent either. Tell me what this task is and then I'll think about whether or not I want to do it."

Harry sighed, "Malfoy Incorporated is not going to burn to the ground without you there for a week. Besides, you are going to be staying in one of your Wizard Hotels: L'italiano Malfoy."

"So you're sending me to Italy. Why?"

"There is a Death Eater there, the last one who isn't accounted for. I am asking you to go to Italy, find him, and decide whether he is changed or whether he deserves...harsher treatment."

"Who? Who is the Death Eater?"

In answer, Harry handed Draco a picture from his desk. "Macnair" Draco said. "I thought he was chucked across the Great Hall by Hagrid and died. He probably snuck out and apparated off the school. Lucky for him, Voldemort wasn't able to chase him down. So you want me to go to Italy and capture him...and do what with him?"

"Side apparate him to the gates of Azkaban."

"When do I leave?"

"Immediately, if possible." Suddenly Harry wasn't staring into his eyes but slightly below them, just avoiding eye contact.

"There's something you're not telling me." Draco said curtly.

Harry sighed once again. "You're right; there is something I'm not telling you. Ron is coming home from Romania this week and I can't guarantee your safety if your here. He won't know that you have gone to Italy."

Anger rushed through Draco once more. "You don't always have to play the hero, Potter! I actually know how to take care of myself and I don't need you to be able to take him on! Anyways, shouldn't he be in Azkaban for killing the brightest witch of our age!"

"I know, I know. But Ron is still considered a war hero and most people take it as an accident. Ron and I need to figure out our friendship and if you're not there to provoke him, the easier it will be to talk to him. That's why."

"Fine. Whatever. I guess I'll be going now." Malfoy muttered.

"Good luck."

...~oOo~...

The next day, Draco was walking casually by himself down the streets of Italy. So far, he hadn't seen any sign of Macnair. The midsummer sun was beating down on him and making him sweat. For a moment, Draco felt like calling it quits for the day and going to the muggle gelato shops. The feeling didn't last long. Immediately, he heard Hermione's voice.

_"You could change, Draco...make your own path."_

_ "What do you want that to be?"_

_ Hermione smiled, "Break away completely from your family...become an auror, Draco, you'd be good at it. The best, in fact."_

Draco had kissed her for that. To this day he was determined to become what many thought was impossible. To become an auror, he would have to earn the trust of the Ministry of Magic. Not an easy task, but Draco was going to try anyway; for Hermione.

Suddenly something disturbed his thoughts. A sound was it? Or was it more of a feeling? Draco spun on his heels and ran toward the source.

There, at the head of a deserted alley was an unmistakable figure in a black cloak. **Macnair. **

But what really caught Draco's attention was not the Death Eater, but his victim. Bound and gagged with magical spells was a familiar looking woman with brown hair. It couldn't be...could it? She turned her face toward Draco's and their eyes met.

_ Hermione!_

**How was the chapter? What do you think? There is a little review box down there so please write us.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Here's the next chapter. Sorry if isn't as great as it could be. We have been busy. This is irrelevant but have you heard the song Broken Arrow by The Script. If not you should listen to it.**

Aspen struggled against her capturer in vain. She could feel the muscles holding her tightly and the tip of a wand being pressed into her head. She was choking on the gag that had been stuffed in her mouth. 'Oh God, help me now!' She thought to herself hopelessly. As if the Holy Savior had heard her plea she heard a voice call out from behind her.  
"_Hermione?!"_

Aspen was jerked around quickly. As she did so her shoulder wrenched backwards painfully making her squeak in alarm. Her capturer spun around and suddenly Aspen was face to face with a young man with white blond hair. Although he was holding a wand, he was in a dull Muggle outfit. His face was pale with shock and pain.

_Hermione?_ She thought to herself, confused. _Who is this Hermione? Wait, if I look like someone he knows then he might help me._ After coming to this conclusion Aspen tried to scream around the gag. He man before her was shook out of his stunned state. He ran closer brandishing his wand in front of him. He shot a spell at her attacker taking him by surprise. She wriggled from his loosened grip and elbowed him sharply in the gut as she spun away.

Backtracking on what had happened, she turned back. Aspen decided he needed to be taught a lesson. As fast as lightning she backhanded the man in front of her, making the man's face jerk back exposing his crotch. Swiftly and strongly, Aspen then kneed him as hard as she could. He bent over in pain, groaning.  
"Pick on someone your own age bastard." She sneered as she pushed him to the ground. "Although all the people your age are dead by now." Aspen added, in afterthought. "Are you just going to stand there Mr. ...,"  
"Malfoy," the man said. "Draco Malfoy," He replied, tilting his head back arrogantly. Aspen nodded, unfazed.  
"Mr. Malfoy, would you mind binding this insignificant toe-rag?" she asked, bossily. He nodded dumbly still staring at the girl before him. "Hey you!" Aspen yelled, snapping her fingers in front of his face.  
"Sorry ummm... I'll just do that." Aspen rolled her eyes exasperatedly.  
"Just get to it," she sighed. Draco quickly binded the man and levitated him off the ground.  
"So... Would you like to join me for coffee after I drop Macnair off at Azkaban?" He asked, hopefully.  
"And why should I go with a person I don't know?" Aspen asked, suspiciously. Draco looked at her shocked, his face pale.  
"You don't remember me Hermione?" He asked. Aspen shook head vigorously.  
"No idea, except your name, which you could have been lying to me about," she stated, patronizingly. Draco looked absolutely woebegone. "Oh, and by the way, my name is not Hermione. It's Aspen, Aspen Watson." she stated mimicking his earlier explanation.  
"So... You'll meet me at 6:00 pm at the Italian Bistro?" he asked.  
"Did you not hear a single word I said? I do not know you, nor do I want to! So can you just back off." she screamed, exasperatedly. Aspen turned heel and began to walk away from the alley she had been dragged into by Macnair.  
"Don't you think you should give your savior some gratitude?" Draco asked, cheekily. Aspen stopped suddenly. She spun around her eyes narrowed and her cheeks burned with anger.  
"I could have gotten away on my own," she lied. "But you just had to come in and play hero, like you're some kind of Harry Potter."

Draco stared at her in shock but that faded as soon as she mentioned his school rival turned friend. He looked at her in pain and newfound hatred. He strode up to he as quick as a snake and slammed her into one of the alley walls. Aspen gasped but stood bravely.  
"Don't you ever talk about Harry Potter." he snarled into her face. She glared at him coolly.  
"See what I mean. I don't know you and even though you seemed to be nice, you ended up slamming me into a wall." she stated calmly, although the bricks were cutting into her spine like fire. "You see, I know about the Malfoys and Mr. Potter. I used this as a test to see if the Malfoyish temper would overcome you, which it did, to determine if it would be a good idea to go to the coffee date with you." Aspen said. "And you ultimately failed. So if you would let me down I would like to go home." Draco set her down gently and looked away guiltily.  
"Now Mr. Malfoy, I'm going to get ready for our little lunch date tomorrow. But please don't stalk me to my house or I may repeal my answer." She continued, winking before she walked away. Draco was left with the Death Eater with a stunned, but happy expression plastered on his usually non-expressive face.

**Sorry if it wasn't up to standards but if you found any mistakes of want to guess want will happen next, hit that review button down there. We would appreciate it and we're aiming for 20 reviews by the next chapter. Please help! :) **


	4. Chapter 4

**Here is the next chapter. Hope you like it.**

**Potterhead27: That's for us to know and for you to figure out. ;)**

Draco stared after Aspin as she walked away. _Where had I gone wrong? _He wondered as he completely immobilized Macnair, before knocking him unconscious. His mind flashed back to the Great Battle.

_ A chaos of wizards and spells had erupted in the Great Hall. Faces flashed by him. All were bloody and fearful. Draco fired spell after spell as he tried ward off the Death Eaters from the Order members, professors and students. Although he was trying his best, there was just no way. for the whole time he had to dodge spells both of the Dark Lord's forces and McGonagal's army as they all saw Draco as the enemy._

_ Despite all this, all Draco could think of was the clever witch he loved so much. Suddenly, she was in front of him. "What the hell are you thinking Hermione?!" He screamed. _

The scene changed.

_Draco was watching the flicker of fear hit his father's eyes. "Avada Kedavra" Draco hissed. The fear left Lucius's eyes and he saw no more._

The scene changed.

_ "Ron, Draco's my __**fiancé**__ and the father of my baby." Hermione was saying._

_ "You have to be kidding me!" Ron whispered. "After you kissed me in the hallway? I'm going to bloody kill you Malfoy!" Ron pulled out his wand extraordinarily fast and suddenly Draco was face to face with the Weasley. Pure hatred was in his eyes. Draco would have to be foolish not to know what would happen next._

_ "Ron don't you think you're being a bit irrational-" Hermione stopped suddenly realizing what Ron was about to do._

_ "Sectumsempra, Avada Kedavra!" Ron shrieked. Hermione dove in-front of the jets of red and green light right before they hit their target._

_ "No! Hermione!" Both Harry and Draco screamed. Draco watched as the love of his life collapsed, blood oozing out of magical wounds, her eyes glazed and..._

"Snap out of it, kid." A gruff voice yanked Draco out of his memories_. _Draco was face to face with a youngish muscular man .

"Don't call me 'kid' ." Draco snapped, glaring at the man. They were almost the same height.

"Listen, kid, I've been working as an auror since _before you were at school_ and-never mind. Potter sent me" He muttered uncertainly. "Just in case you had trouble with _him. _Obviously you didn't, but I'll have you know, I know the guards down at Azkaban and I could drop our little captive off for you if you'd like."

Initially, Draco nearly took him up on his offer, but something about him was odd, and as he looked at the man, his explanation made no sense. "No, I think I'd rather do it alone. What was your name again?"

The man narrowed his eyes. "I didn't say."

"Tell me now" Draco demanded.

"William" He replied. As he said so he shifted his gaze ever so slightly.

"William...?"

"None of your business!"

Draco drew his wand and pressed it against the man's throat. He then took the man's left arm, thrust the sleeve up and held into the sunlight. The Dark Mark on his forearm was fading, but clearly visible. "You better believe it's my business William Macnair! _Stuplify!_

The son of the Death Eater gasped and then fell unconscious beside his father. Draco roughly grabbed both of their arms and apparated to his least favorite place on Earth-Azkaban. The chill was instant. Despair and dread mixed with fear as the dementors swirled around him. In his ears he could hear Hermione screaming, begging him to save her. "Expecto Patronum" Draco growled. A feeble wisp of light poured out of his wand and went out. The dementors swooped closer.

"Expecto Patronum!" Draco barely heard the voice and yet the dementors were being propelled away, cowering from a patronus in the form of a stag.

Draco whirled around. "How many times to I have to say this? Believe it or not you don't always have to play the hero, Potter!"

Harry returned his accusation with a smirk, "I was actually here for other reasons besides saving your soul. You just happened to apparate in front of me and then the dementors decided to fly down. If it makes you feel better...I can't stand it, hearing the screams..." The smirk fell from his face and he closed his eyes for a minute before glancing at the unconscious men. "Two, Draco?" He said, changing the subject,

"This one," Draco said, lifting William up by the hair, "is Macnair's son. He claimed to work for you and that he was an auror since before we were at school. Lies. Every bit of it. He had done something to his face in hopes that I wouldn't recognize him, but I do. He was a Slytherin, one year ahead of us. He tried to trick me to rescue his father. Unfortunately for him, I was one step ahead of him."

"Hmmm, I didn't know Macnair had a son. They are two open prison cells one the first floor. Bring them there and I'll let you know when the trial is." Harry pulled out his wand, and raised it before adding, "Oh, and Malfoy, his doesn't mean you're an auror, so don't look so smug." With a pop, he apparated, and Draco was left alone with Harry's fading patronus.

Taking the warmth from the stag, Draco attempted another patronus and this time a weak wispy ferret tumbled out of his wand. It would do. Draoc grabbed the two men and dragged them toward the entrance of Azkaban where the guards of the gates lay waiting to take the captives to the cells.

Draco watched as the dementors took his prisoners, then glanced at his watch. It was 5 o'clock. He was supposed to meet Herm-_Aspen_ in an hour. Draco whipped out his wand and apparated back to Italy, hoping to high heaven that he'd have time to wash the Azkaban grime off before he had to meet with the girl.

**What do you think? BTW, We were hoping for more reveiws!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Here's your next chapter. BTW sorry if we offended anyone with our requests. We were just overexcited. Anyways if we remember correctly this is the fifth chapter. Remember how we asked you guys to guess our age? Well only one person really put in a guess... **

**potterhead27: you just missed the mark. We are both 13 years old! Even though that may not last for long... And your prize! *drum roll please* Well we can't give you a real prize but this chapter is dedicated to you. **

_potterhead27 thank you so much for your dedication to our story._

Draco sat at the Italian Bistro he had suggested, alone. No, Aspen had not backed out on him, he had come an hour early. He sat on of the elegantly crafted seats strumming his fingers on the granite tabletop watching a football game on one of the suspended televisions. A cute server with fake red hair winked at him flirtatiously but he didn't notice. He was too busy trying to think of how to talk to her without confusing her even further. _How can I speak to a girl that looks just like my dead fiancée? _

_Ding-a-liglig!_ Draco was shaken out of his thoughts by the bell on the top of the door being knocked about. He turned around to see Herm- _Aspen_ walk into the small building. Draco looked at her slack-jawed. Aspen was wearing a blue blouse tucked into a black pencil skirt and a pair of peek-toe black heels. Her hair was up in a braided bun with a few curly treadles hanging down. She smiled slightly as she caught sight of him, and walked over.

"Hey." Aspen grinned. Draco stood from his seat and pulled out a chair gesturing for her to take a seat. Aspen's eyes sparkled as she took a seat and Draco took one beside her. "What are you; some kind of well-trained aristocrat?" she laughed.

Draco chuckled. "Actually, I am," he replied, trying, and failing, to sound offended. Aspen giggled. "So what do you want to get?"

"Um," Aspen picked up her menu. "I think I'm going to get the Fettuccini Alfredo with parmesan cheese."

"Ok, so no meat." Draco asked. Aspen nodded and bit her lip. _Just like Hermione._

"Yeah, when I was younger I got really sick from food poisoning from badly cooked meat. I can't stand the stuff anymore." Draco nodded.

"Ciao! Welcome to Oro Cibo Italiana. What can I get for you?" The red-headed waitress from earlier, asked. She bent over, show off her large bosom.

"I'll get the Fettuccini Alfredo no chicken with parmesan cheese." The waitress shot her a glare a quickly jotted down the order.

"And for you?" she asked, batting her eyelashes flirtatiously. Draco inwardly gagged as the waitress's sickly-sweet perfume wafted over him.

"I'll get the same as my _date." _He replied, glaring at her. The waitress shot up as though shot and swiftly walked away. He sighed exasperatedly. "Sorry about that. Can't blame her though. I am as hot as hell." Draco stated, charismatically. Aspen snorted and rolled her eyes. "Hey that wasn't very lady-like."

"Does it look like I care?" Aspen asked patronizingly. He shook his head. "Ok, so now that we're on the same page… Do live here in Italy now or were you only here to get Macnair?"

"The latter, how 'bout you," Draco asked, finally getting to the questions he was wondering about.

"Well I'm a seventh year student from Beauxbatons who is on a trip in Italy because they are trying to get rid of me." Aspen explained. "Apparently I'm too tomboyish to be at a school with _proper young ladies._ More like stuck up girls who wear too much make up." she muttered.

"Soo… you're here because you not wanted there." Draco clarified. Aspen nodded.

"If I was normal I would have been chucked onto the street years ago, which I would have welcomed, but I had too much power for it to go to waste. At least that's what they told me."

"Too much power what do they mean by that?" Draco asked.

"Well, let's just say that by second year I could do wandless magic." Aspen whispered. Draco'd eyes widened.

"You mean-"

"Here are your dinners you two. What a lovely couple you two are." A jolly woman announced. She set down the meals carefully and smiled at them. "What else would you like?"

"Um, I think we're fine right now." Draco replied, relieved that they had a different waitress.

" Alrighty then. Just call if you need anything. My name's Jolinda." She then walked away to ask another table what they would like.

Draco and Aspen ate in silence. Draco pondering over the new information. _If she is a seventh year that must mean she is eighteen years old. The same age Hermione was when she died._

Once they had finished the meal Draco paid the waitress and they walked out into the night.

** What did you think? If we made in mistake you would like to have us fix there's a very kind box down there that can help you contact us. Can you see it waving at you. O...K... that sounded kinda creepy. Will you check out our profile? **


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry for the long wait. School is very busy right now, with the STAR testing and such. Anyways, here's the next chapter.**

Aspen followed Draco as he walked out of the restaurant. The night air was warm and muggy. Draco turned to her suddenly, "You mentioned being on a trip here, but not where you were staying. Do you need a place to stay?"

Aspen shifted her gaze, "My mom is dead and my dad... left."

"How about staying at_ L'italiano Malfoy? _You'll have your own room. I'll book it so it will be free. No worries"

Aspen shot her head up, her hair flying back, "You'd do that?! Draco Malfoy, I barely even know you!"

Although Aspen was finding it difficult to read the older wizard's thoughts, somehow she expected what he was going to say next. "Yes. Only if you agree to talk to me tomorrow and answer some questions."

Aspen laughed, "I should have known. Typical Slytherin, you're offering this only because it's in your best interest!"

Draco rolled his silvery eyes "I'll give you an hour to get your stuff." And with that he apparated into the night.

Aspen shook her head in wonder before pulling her wand out and apparating as well. After the brief dizzying sensation, she arrived in front of a large, old fashioned house. Taking a deep breath, she gently pushed the solid oak door. It creaked as it opened to reveal a frilly, dainty entryway. The stench of perfume hit her as she took a step inside.

As if she had triggered a land mine, a voice above her started screaming shrilly.

**_" _**_ASPEN WATSON, COME SI PERMETTE DI ARRIVARE A CASA COPRIFUOCO PASSATO! SONO GENTILMENTE TI INVITO A CASA MIA E PER CHE COSA, GRAZIE? FURTIVAMENTE FUORI DELLA VOSTRA CAMERA PER VISITARE UN UOMO SENZA DUBBIO! HO INTENZIONE DI INVAIRE UNA LETTERA DI QUEL TIPO VECCHIA SIGNORA CHE MI CHIESTO DI PRENDERE IN, E QUINDI VI TROVERTE IN UN MONDO DI GUAI! TORNO-__**"**_

"_How many times to I have to tell you! I. Don't. Speak. Italian!" _ Aspen screamed back. The voice was her "caretaker" Signora Vecchia. She was a muggle around the age of three hundred years old (give or take a few years.) Beauxbaton's sent Aspen to her to test her attitude with muggles. So, although there were hundreds of witches and wizards Aspen could have been sent to, she ended up here.

Aspen angrily stomped upstairs to where the old and wrinkly lady was standing, towering over her. "I am going to leave. Do not expect me back!" After a moment, she repeated what she had said in French. The lady stared blankly and angrily back at her with two icy gray eyes. Frustrated, Aspen hissed the only thing she knew in Italian "_Prego!_" Signora Vecchia put her hands on her hips and simply glared back, raising an eyebrow.

Aspen turned around and stormed to her simple, four walled room. In the middle was the only piece of furniture the bedroom had, a dusty, springy bed topped with a bland grey bed spread. Signora Vecchia had given her the worst room in the house. Aspen quickly walked over to the bed and pulled out her wand. "Wndgarduim Leviosa!' She said. The mattress lifted and hovered off the box spring. Keeping it levitated, Aspen grabbed the few contents she had hidden there: A bag with three galleons and a picture of her mother and father, smiling at her. She glanced at the portrait briefly before lowering the matress back onto the now empty box spring.

Slamming the door behind her, Aspen walked into the room just next to her own. This room belongs to one of the old ladies' nieces granddaughters or something. The interior of the bedroom, though dusty from disuse, was much nicer than Aspen's with its more modern and comfortable, though still muggle-looking, bedding and furniture. On the far side of the room, opposite the door was a large antique wardrobe. Although the piece of furniture was showing its age, it was freshly polished and oiled, so when Aspen opened the door to reveal its contents, it didn't so much as creak. This wardrobe was her source of clothing during her trip in Italy, including the outfit she was wearing now. She grabbed the remaining clothes and shoved everything into a stylish black bag laying on the floor next to the wardrobe.

Right before she closed the wardrobe door, she felt a shadow of doubt. She was _stealing _these clothes. Aspen took in a shuddering breath and fought to keep the feeling down. "These clothes are dusty, they haven't been worn in years. They won't be missed." She muttered out loud, finally shaking off the cold feeling.

Turning from the wardrobe, Aspen slung the bag over her shoulder, yanked out her wand and apparated. The last thing she saw before the dizzy sensation took over was the old muggle lady gasping and collapsing on the floor.

With a jolt, Aspen appeared in front of the huge wizarding hotel , _L'italiano Malfoy. _All around her were high-class wizards and witches, decked with silk robes and gold jewlery. Feeling out of place in her muggle attire, Aspen walked over the marble entryway towards the pristine glass doors. As she approached, they opened.

"Good evening, Miss Watson, we have been expecting you." In front of her was a aging man in a sharp, white tuxedo. He had a thick Italian accent and kind, dark brown eyes. "If you would follow me, I will escort you to your room."

"Uh, yeah. Lead the way, sir." She said distractedly. The room around her was breathtaking Everything, from floor to ceiling was heavily decorated with various expensive items. Aspen looked around in awe until she realized _this place reminds me of Beaxbatons_. That comparison was not entirely true for her school was more like walking into a fancy antique shop in her opinion, but nevertheless, it made her instantly hate the entry room.

Before she knew it, her escort was gesturing for her to walk into a gold and glass elevator of sorts. Aspen stepped inside and it ascended immediately. Up and up they went, so many floors that Aspen lost count before finally the shining doors opened revealing Draco Malfoy, dressed in clean green and silver robes.

"Thank you for escorting her, butler, you are dismissed." Draco said, with a haughty, snapping tone.

"Of course, Master Draco." The "butler" replied with a little bow before retreating back into the elevator and disappearing downward.

Aspen looked around and discovered that there were only two doors on this floor, one with the name MALFOY printed on it and the other with the word GUEST. "I guess I'm the guest." Aspen laughed, and reached toward the siver handle to her left.

She had just opened the door when suddenly Draco slammed his hand on the door frame, blocking her way. "Listen up, _Aspen, _I am paying for your room, not because I'm a nice person, but because I need to know something about you. Tomorrow you are going to tell me about yourself or consider my offer cancelled. _Understand_?"

Aspen glared coldly up into Draco's gray eyes. Swiftly, she struck out her hand, grabbed his collar and yanked it backward as hard as she could. Draco stumbled away from her door, barely managing to catch himself from falling to the ground. "Let that be a warning, this is my room as long as I'm staying in it. You, Draco Malfoy, will not enter, _ever. _I do not want people I barely know in my _you_ understand?"

Draco rubbed his neck, a storm was in his eyes. "I wasn't planning on it." He growled.

"Good. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Good night, Draco." And with a smile she slammed the door in his face.

**What do you think?**


	7. Chapter 7

**Here's the next chapter!**

Draco Malfoy sat in a high, Italian black leather chair at the white marbled counter of the island in the center the condo's kitchen. He stared at the newspaper in his hand while drinking Hawaiian Kona Coffee. Sure, if anyone merely looked at him, he would come off as a man deeply engrossed in whatever he was reading, but if you took a second look at him he seemed to be lost in thought. Apparently, _The Daily Prophet_ was no longer that important.

The sun was just coming up in the horizon. Surprisingly, he had opened the bamboo shades, filtering fresh light into the darkened hotel room. The elegant fan in the living room was on, slightly ruffling the pages of the newspaper Draco was 'reading.'

He was only one awake due to more nightmares. Ever since that Aspen girl had appeared his nightmares of Hermione dying had gotten progressively worse. He couldn't send her away though; he needed to figure out why she looks so much like Hermione. He couldn't shake off the feeling that she was more than what came from looking at her face.

_Slam! _He was suddenly shook out of his thoughts by the sound of the guest room doors opening and closing alarmingly. Aspen stomped into the living room, picking up the remote for the fan. She walked out onto the porch and promptly threw it over the edge. The fan then slowed to a stop after the control was destroyed, laying. She then walked into the highly equipped kitchen, grabbing a pan and spatula before turning to him with a pleasant smile plastered on her face.

"Morning!" she smiled, the expression sickly-sweet.

_U-Oh. _Draco thought, worriedly. _What did I do this time?_

"Well I'm up now and I'm hungry." Aspen announced. "How do you like your eggs? Sunny-side-up or scrambled?" Draco looked at her shocked. "Hello? Cat got your tongue Mr. Auror Malfoy?" She asked, smirking, while waving the pan in front of his face. When she didn't get a reply, she huffed and turned back to the stove.

"You're not going to hit me with that pan are you?" Draco asked, fearfully.

"No, you idiot. But since you suggested it I don't see why not. You do know when you turn on you fan it turns on the rest in the condo, right?" Draco shook his head no before smirking himself. "And how did you come up with the great idea of me hitting you with a pan? It really it a brilliant idea."

"I once watched this movie on a muggle telly about this blond girl with extremely long hair. She hit a guy with a pan when he showed up in her tower." Aspen looked at him oddly. "I have a question myself though. Why the hell did you throw a perfectly good remote to its death on the street? Are you going to make it so I have a spectacle every morning? Not that I'm complaining. Huh, that was more than one question, but you still have to answer." Draco smirked. Aspen turned fully around still clutching the pan in her hand. _Oops! I should have waited till she put the pan down._

Aspen clutched the pan even tighter, her knuckles going white. Her face was contorted in anger, in Draco's opinion it made her look even cuter. "_Well_,_Mr. Malfoy _I wouldn't need to cause a spectacle every morning if you don't have the bloody fan on high. Freezing me into an icicle!" she burst out, pointing the pan at him accusingly. Draco smirked at her raising his arms in surrender.

"Actually, I like omelets for breakfast." He stated, pleasantly. Aspen lowered the pan slightly, looking at him in confusion.

"Excuse me?!"

"You asked how I liked my eggs!?"

"Like I was actually going to make you food. I'm not your maid." Aspen scoffed.

"Well, you asked so you have to deliver." Draco shot back, becoming irritated with the girl's behavior.

"Make your own food, _Oh Mighty King_." She drawled, bowing mockingly. Aspen turned to go back to her room when suddenly she found herself unable to move. She heard footsteps come up to her and, in her mind, she shook in fear.

Draco stared down at her. His voice low and deathly. Not to mention, if glares could kill, Aspen would be dead on the dark Mahoney wood flooring.

"I invited you to stay at my hotel. I let you eat my food. Then you come right back and act downright rude to my face. Not to mention you broke my property and now you have to pay me back for breaking that remote. So, if you think about it, you are now in my debt and I could choose to have you as my maid." Aspen looked back at him challengingly. "Fortunately for you, I am not like the Death Eater I saved you from. So would it be so much for you to respect my property and myself?" He released the spell and turned to walk back to his coffee.

"I'm sorry," Aspen's meek voice floated to him and he stopped. He instantly softened and turned back to her.

_She looks and sounds just like my Hermione. _Draco thought to himself. _If only I knew why._

"I'll be more aware of what I say and do while I stay here. In case you didn't realize I might be a _little_ hot headed." She apologized, cheekily. Draco smiled at her.

"'_A little'_ is a huge understatement." He replied. Draco looked at the girl before him. Her hair was just as unruly as his Hermione's had been when she had just gotten up from bed. Her nightdress was completely horrendous. It looked like it came from the middle ages. He chuckled. "I don't mean to be rude but do have any clothing that is from our time period?" Aspen's cheeks colored red.

"Not really. I don't have much money so I can't really get the latest fashions." She answered, looking at the floor.

"Well you can't hang around me wearing those clothes. I'm going to call my friend Pansy after we eat breakfast. She'll help me get you some proper clothes." Aspen nodded, mumbling a quiet 'thank you.'

He went back to the kitchen and finished his coffee while Aspen went to get ready. Draco then ordered some food from a nearby café and called Pansy. She replied that she would arrive via Floo around 11. By the time Aspen had reappeared, he had set out an assortment of croissants, scones, and crepes, along with some orange juice.

As he heard his guest's door open and close he turned to see Aspen, in the same clothes as yesterday. She smiled gratefully and took a pumpkin scone to nibble on. He looked contemplating at her. Aspen looked up from her scone as if she could feel him looking at her and met him eye to eye.

_Her eyes! _Draco's mind screamed. _She has Hermione's eyes! _And it was true, she did have Hermione's eyes. The exact round and innocent shape. The same chocolate color with honeyed specks. What was happening to him! Hermione was dead. Dead, dead, dead. If he went and dug up her grave right now he would see her decaying body in the deep pit. _Then why is it that she is looking right at you?! _His mind spoke to him. Aspen stared at him confused.

"Is something wrong Draco?" she asked. He didn't hear her. His mind was screaming at him that it couldn't be true. That Hermione was dead. "Draco?!" her voice broke through his haze of emotions. His head snapped back to see Aspen looking at him slightly frightened. He had slightly calmed down when he saw a glimpse of a golden tiger around her neck. His mind raged a he stalked up to her and tore the necklace from her neck. Aspen jumped back looking terrified.

"Where did you get this!" he screamed at her. Aspen stared at the necklace's pendent. It was a gold lion and a silver serpent intertwined. She had gotten it from her mother before she died. It had been in the family for about five years. She told him this. He looked scathingly at her. "You're lying." He stated. Aspen's eyes widened at the accusation.

"I am most definitely am not lying Mr. Malfoy. And why does a stupid necklace means so much to you!" she raged right back at him. His eyes turned cold and unreadable.

"That is no matter to you." He retorted.

Aspen took a step towards him. "As a matter of fact, it does matter to me considering you tore the necklace from me for no apparent reason and began to make unjustified accusations." She replied, glaring at him heatedly. By then they were glaring at each other nose to nose. Actually nose to forehead, considering that Draco is taller than Aspen. At that exact moment they heard the fireplace roar and out walked a woman with long black hair and blue eyes.

"Hello Draco! Hello… Hermione?!" Pansy Parkinson shouted in disbelief, before falling to the ground in a faint.


End file.
